Rendezvous in the Park
by addicted2vamplit
Summary: After a hard day, can a surprise visit from her best friends big brother turn everything around? A Bella and Edward story for the Epic T-Rated One-Shot contest hosted by Bronzehairedgirl620 and Daddy's Little Cannibal. AH/One Shot


**The Epic T-Rated Contest :)**

**4/27/09: **So it seems like everyone has had an M rated contest going on. Daddy's Little Cannibal and I decided that we're finished with lemon contests, and want to create an Epic T Rated, One-Shot contest.

The rules:

**1.** No lemons. Must be rated 'T.'

**2.** Has to have a line or reference to a cannibal.

**3**. Has to have a line or reference to a fireman.

**4**. All canon pairings.

**5**. Has to be a one-shot, but is allowed to be continued once the contest is finished.

**6**. Must copy/paste these rules to the top of your submission. Two entries per person. Collaborations acceptable.

**7**. Must PM Bronzehairedgirl620 to alert me of your entry so we can add your story to the C2 if it fits the requirements.

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any recognizable characters from the Twilight series.**

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_**Rendezvous in the Park**_

Alice rubbed the small of my back in small, comforting circles. I was leaning forward with my face in my hands and elbows propped up on my knees; trying desperately to hide myself from the world… or hide the world from me-- I'm still not sure which.

We didn't say anything in our heavy silence. I was completely unaware of the time and had no idea how long it had been since I'd retreated into myself. Just on the other side of my fingers there was a sunny day waiting for me; a lush green park, kids playing in the playground and couples walking their dogs, enjoying their seemingly perfect day.

_Arrgh, happy people suck_.

I heard my best friend take a small sip of her coffee and then the trash can to my left rattle after she threw the empty cup in. Apparently she couldn't take the silence any longer. "Not that I don't enjoy a very nice, _very_ quiet day in the park but are you ever gonna tell me what's wrong?"

A wet gasp escaped my mouth as I shook my head from side to side and tried to hold back the tears. Just the prospect of talking about it was enough to make my eyes burn.

"You have to talk about it sometime, girly. Now is as good a time as any."

"I know," my voice cracked. I pulled my hands away from my face and winced as the bright day assaulted my sensitive eyes. Sitting back on the bench, Alice moved her arm from my back to around my shoulders. I placed my head in the crook of her neck and stared off at the bench directly across from us; it's brown paint chipped and worn, not unlike the one we were sitting on.

"You guys broke up," she said matter-of-factly.

"Yes," I confirmed, my voice steady and accepting. _We broke up_. We had been fighting seemingly non-stop for over a year. Some nights he didn't even come home. _Of course we broke up._ I rubbed a hand over my face but didn't look away from the bench. It felt better having admitted it to myself.

Alice squeezed my shoulder and my lips twitched at the corners knowing I had such a great friend. I could see her watching me out of the corner of my eye, calculating, reading me. Without warning she threw one short leg over mine and was straddling me on the bench, hugging me fiercely.

I laughed into her dark, haphazard hair and hugged her back with abandon. "Thanks, Ali. You're the best."

She pulled back but didn't get off my lap as her eyes bore into mine; looking for any sign I might retreat back into my sad self again. Her face broke into a smile, obviously happy with what she saw there.

"I know I'm the best," she laughed, "that's why you keep me around." Her hands found purchase on my shoulders to steady herself. "This is for the best you know. Now you can try to be happy again. I've waited for so long to see you happy."

"I'll work on it," I smiled. Yes, I was sad about my relationship ending but at the same time I felt relieved. A huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders as it hit me… "I don't love him anymore."

She hopped off my lap and kneeled in front of me, clasping our hands together in a sign of solidarity. "That's a start… oh right, and _duh_." Alice shook her head and rolled her eyes comically. Something over my shoulder briefly caught her attention and she nodded; her hand tightened around mine before looking back to me.

"Now that you've already said I'm the best you're not allowed to take it back, 'kay?"

As Alice began to gather her things I started to panic. I figured I would have Alice at my side in order to deal with things today. Just thinking of being alone for it was more than I could handle. "You're leaving?" I whispered pathetically. It's not like it was her responsibility to baby-sit me.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry. I wouldn't be going to the studio if it wasn't absolutely necessary."

_Maybe I could go in with her and afterward we could-- _

"I'd bring you with me but I'm going to be there a while."

_Oh._

"However," she said brightly as she slipped a light jacket over her arms. "I've called in reinforcements."

I couldn't imagine who Alice would have called. Everyone I knew other than her and Jasper, were _'our_ friends' and as far as I was concerned he could have them. I hope she didn't call Jessica or Lauren. Both have been looking to get their greedy little claws into him for as long as I can remember-- and I wasn't so sure either of them hadn't succeeded.

"I don't know, Alice," I sighed, reserved. "I think I just want to be alone for the rest of the day. There's no one in that crowd I have the energy to deal wi-"

"Like I'd call any of _those_ losers," she snapped playfully.

"Then who did you-?" as I asked the question, two warm hands descended over my eyes.

"Guess?" Alice chirped excitedly. The long, warm fingers wiggled over my puffy eyes.

I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted. "Alice, I'm not really in the mood to—"

"Ahh, Bella. Come on," a musical voice sounded in my ear. His breath danced across my cheek and the sound of his voice made my heart skip a beat and then stutter before going into overdrive. "Just one guess…" his voice was sinfully low and husky, "for me?"

I smiled and his fingers brushed the tops of my cheeks. "I have absolutely no idea."

His chuckle washed over me in a welcomed wave, taking all of my problems away with it. "Liar." I was about to protest until his hands moved away from my face. "Now get up and give me my hug!" he ordered.

I didn't have to be asked twice. I shot up from my seat and spun myself around on one foot, using the bench as leverage to throw myself into his arms. He twirled me around a few times, narrowly avoiding the bench I had just vacated and the many trees that lined the path.

When he set me right again I smiled up at him wider than I had smiled in a long time, I realized. His face was peppered with rugged short stubble, his hair (as always) was in messy disarray framing his face. His green eyes were as disarming and striking as ever.

Edward Cullen.

"When did you get to be even more beautiful, Swan?" he asked me. I felt my traitorous blush warm my cheeks.

"When did you get to be even more charming, Cullen?" I asked in return.

Alice let out an exasperated sigh from behind me. "Can you guys stop flirting so I can hug my brother?!" I turned around in Edward's arm to see Alice tapping her foot, though she was still smiling which I took as a sign that she wasn't actually annoyed. "I haven't seen him in just as long as you, you know."

"Come here, baby sister," he reached out for her and released me; the hand that wasn't reaching out for her lingered against my skin and I felt its absence when he wrapped her in his embrace. "I missed you."

"Well, now that you're done that pesky residency thing in Chicago you're back for good, right?" _For good?_ The words repeated in my head. "Seven years is too long to only see you a handful of times. I need my brother back. We missed you."

Edward's eyes sparkled as he looked over her shoulder at me briefly, "I missed you guys, too," my heart had yet to slow down as his eyes flashed back down to his sister's face. "And yeah, I'm back for good."

Alice jumped up and down a few times, on her last jump placing a quick kiss to his cheek and leaving a set of burgundy lips on his face. "Good! That'll give us plenty of time to catch up later." She turned around to face me and winked before throwing her arms around my neck.

"If you need anything," she whispered, "just call." Raising her voice so we both could hear her she added, "I know I'm leaving you in the very capable hands of my brother but if he tries anything…"

"Alice," he said mockingly, "I'll have you know my mother raised me to be a gentleman."

"Right and she raised me to be a lady. Look where that got her."

The sibling banter continued for a few minutes before Alice insisted she had to get to work. She departed walking one way down the path, while we walked in the other direction, further into the park.

"So…" Edward started, "what have you been up to since…?"

"Christmas two years ago," I helped.

"It hasn't been that long, has it?" he stopped in his tracks, doing a mental calculation in his head.

I laughed and nodded. "If you had spent last Christmas with your mother like I had, you'd be sure. Have you gone to see her yet?" I asked and started walking again.

Edward bumped his shoulder into mine with a grin on his face, still unaware of the set of lips on his cheek. "Not yet, had to come see my girls first." My traitorous blush graced my cheeks again.

We were a few paces from one of those souvenir stands every city seemed to have, with that city's name on coffee mugs and T-shirts, when he stopped me. Edward face was serious and drawn. "How are _you_ doing?" His words were laced with deeper meaning.

"Alice told you!!" I whined, my tears threatening at an encore. He nodded guiltily. "Well, I'm fine and for your information I don't need your pity. I had a bad relationship that ended on a bad note and I'm over it."

"Bella, I wasn't p—"

"Save it, Edward," I started to turn away, "I got some packing to do so I'll see you… I don't know, later."

"Bella, wait," his hand ensnared my wrist and he spun me into his chest. I got a face full of pectorals as one of his hands cupped the my head and pulled me closer, the other grabbing me by the small of my back in a hug. "I'm not here to pity you. I'm just worried about you is all."

I couldn't stay mad at him as long as he held me. "Please don't. I do enough worrying for the both of us."

"Come on," he said, grabbing my hand and walking toward the novelty shop. "Let me buy you a welcome home present."

Laughing, I replied, "Aren't I supposed to buy you a welcome home present?"

"Who says?" When I didn't answer, he concluded with a cheeky grin, "I'm home, I feel welcome so I'm buying you a present. Now would you like a tacky T-shirt or the tacky coffee mug?"

We browsed for a while in an awkward silence. I mentally scolded myself for being so hot headed earlier and just as I was about to apologize, Edward spoke up. "What person doesn't love a calendar with kittens and cute little anecdotes on it?" He held up a calendar. On the front was a cat hanging precariously from a branch with the caption 'Just Hangin' Out'.

I felt like barfing it was so cute.

"I think I'd rather join cannibals for dinner," I said making a disgusted face.

He held up another one with a group of firemen on the front. "Well, how about one with some steamy half naked men 'to stoke your fire'?" I examined the cover and a few were very good looking. Upon closer inspection, the fireman in the centre looked a lot like my ex.

"I think I'd rather _be_ dinner."

"But it's a 16 month calendar. That's four extra months of risqué male objectification for your viewing pleasure."

I plucked it from his hand and hid it behind the kitten calendar, "I'll pass."

"Fine, I know what I want to get you anyway, so go wait over there-- and no peeking!" I walked over to the huge ancient tree he had pointed at and waited. It took every ounce of restraint I had not to peek over my shoulder as I heard the distant chime of the cash register ringing in his purchase.

The gravel crunched under his feet as he approached me from behind. When I could no longer hear his footfalls I knew he was on the grass and close by. _Oh, so close_. Every nerve in me hummed with anticipation.

"You can look now," he said softly. I turned around and he held it out for me; a small white bear with a black bow tie around its neck and a small rose in its paw. Edward grinned sheepishly and blushed. "It's not much but it's—"

"Perfect," I interrupted. Never in all my time with _he who shall not be named_, had I ever felt as elated as I did in that moment. My eyes started to water again as I pulled the small animal to my chest.

Edward immediately went into worry mode. "If you don't like it, I can—"

"I love it," I said, trying to hide the sob in my voice, but failing miserably. Taking a step forward I wrapped my free arm around his waist. "I'm sorry. It's just been a long day."

It took a moment for him to react but before long, his arms wrapped around me securely. I felt his lips press against my hair and I shivered at the sensation. Cursing the effect he always had on me, I pulled away. Though I always had a crush on my best friend's big brother, that was one humiliating rejection I never wished to experience.

Looking up to meet his eyes I tried to figure out what he could possibly be thinking. His look was penetrating and deep but I was at a loss wondering about the meaning behind it.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" he asked, catching me off guard.

I blushed and hid behind my hair, looking down through the veil of brown locks to my old t-shirt and comfy jeans. My make-up had bled away with my tears and my face felt swollen to the touch. "Today, actually," I giggled nervously, "but that doesn't make it true."

He crooked a finger under my chin and coaxed my eyes to meet his. I resisted at first but his hold on my chin was persistent. "I wouldn't say it if it weren't. You mustn't see yourself the way I do."

"You don't have to be nice, Edward..."

"And your boyfriend was an idiot if he didn't tell you every day." _Well, I could agree with the idiot part. _"Granted, he was an idiot anyway," his hand reached out to brush the hair I tried to hide behind away from my face. The trail of his fingers across my cheek left a tingling path in their wake. "…for letting you get away."

I pulled my sleeve over my palm and pulled it across his cheek, clearing off the mark Alice had left behind earlier. His penetrating gaze didn't break away from mine. "Thank you," I sighed, "you always knew what to say to make me feel better."

"You're welcome," he beamed and linked his arm with mine, steering me toward the parking lot. "I know what else will make you feel better…"

"What's that?"

"A big strong man to help you pack," he declared, proudly flexing his other arm.

I slipped my arm out of his and prepared myself to dash away. "Okay," I laughed, "well you can let me know when he gets here."

It wasn't until later I realized just how far he was willing to chase me.

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Hope you liked... or at least didn't hate. ~tish

RIP DLC


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